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Last week the weather was so nice that I just had to get outside and enjoy it. On Monday I called my mother in law and she came with my daughter and I to go for a walk at English Point in Hayden, Idaho. English Point is on USFS land and is a well maintained easy group of trails. There are five total trails, two at .8 miles, two at 1.6 miles, and one at 3.4 miles. Two of the trails leave straight out of the parking area, which is equipped with vault toilets, and the other three start across the street. We had to dodge quite a few mud puddles since it had been raining all weekend, but we still had a good time.

English Point is one of my favorite local trails. We actually just discovered it a couple years ago. It is considered an easy hike. I don’t really consider it hiking at all because it’s pretty flat. The elevation change is negligible. I’ve gone up and down steeper hills walking around neighborhoods. It’s draw is that it’s an easy walk in the woods.

The 1.6 mile trail that leaves from the parking lot features two lookout points that give you glimpses of Hayden Lake through the trees. There are benches and places to stop and sit and several points along the trails. The trails in general are open to horses, hikers, and mountain bikers, but a couple trails are reserved exclusively for foot traffic.

Because it is near town and very accessible, it sees pretty heavy use all year round. Many people take their dogs for walks there. While they are supposed to pick up after them, they don’t always, so the wise walker keeps an eye out for poop.

There is a wide variety of plant life including thimbleberry bushes, wild roses, a variety of pine and fir trees, as well as a wide assortment of wildflowers. On this last visit we saw trillium, shooting star flowers, and dogtooth violets. I’m sure we saw others, but those are the ones I recognized or was able to identify later. The wild roses and thimbleberries won’t bloom until later the spring or early summer.

To get there, take Highway 95 north from Coeur d’Alene. Turn right on Lancaster Avenue. Turn right on English Point Road. There is a sign indicating the trail head on Lancaster Avenue, and the parking lot is on the left immediately after turning onto English Point Road.

What are some of your favorite places to walk or hike near you? Are they easily accessible? Let me know in the comments.